THE ECONOMICS OF WASTE IN BUFFALO
Edward A. Sundquist
State University of New York at Buffalo Law Student
Waste is big business. The World Bank estimates in the U.S. alone, we
generate 5.5 pounds of municipal solid waste per person per day and
internationally, 1.3 billion tons per year. i It’s no wonder that in New
York, businesses involved with recycling, reuse, and remanufacturing of
waste generate a total of $10 billion dollars in gross receipts.ii The
economics of waste and recycling is staggering, but it begs the question of
how our local economy is dealing with waste and reducing, reusing, and
recycling the materials. This report looks at the economic impacts of
Buffalo’s various waste handling programs.
UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL LEGAL CONTEXT
In 2011, Mayor Byron Brown announced a new recycling effort meant to
promote and increase recycling habits of city residents and save on waste
costs. The plan was to give each household a green cart that would allow
residents to recycle more than before and alongside with regular trash.
The initiative was accompanied with a full-time recycling coordinator for
the City, new laws requiring the use of recycling totes, and a host of
educational and practical programs to increase recycling of uncommon
itemsiii. This program was slated to reduce recycling costs for the city
from 1.9 million per year to 1.2 million per year. The city was also
expected to raise collection revenue from $480,000 to $960,000 and
increase recycling rates 8% to 16%, with a goal of reaching the national
average of 34% by 2016.iv
To compliment this initiative, the City added the following codes v to
improve recycling, both which carry a Class C Fine of $52.50 per
infraction:
Chapter 216-15 – Improper Use of City Provided Containers
for Garbage and Recycling: Recycling containers that have
items that are not recyclable, and garbage totes that have items
other than regular household garbage are considered to be
improper uses of the containers provided by the City.
Chapter 216-15 –Failure to Use City-Provided Containers:
Each property must use city-provided totes and recycling
containers provided by the City of Buffalo.
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Additionally, New York State has laws on the recycling of private
residential and private/public businesses. The issue with these laws is the
general lack of enforcement by the City on residential properties. Many
people are unaware of the mandate by the City, and most believe it is a
voluntary process. There are no incentives to city residents and
additionally, there is no enforcement for business recycling. This has
translated into big loses for the City, as it currently loses $3 million per
year on trash collection services.vi
According to the City of Buffalo, the city-wide recycling rate is as
followsvii:
YEAR
RATE*
2011
6.6%
2012
10.2%
2013
10.8%
2014
20% (Estimated)viii
*Percentage of waste collected that consists of recyclable materials.
Although the number has increased tremendously, the national average for
recycling in cities is approximately 25%-34%. A 2012 study by the
Partnership for the Public Good found the City saves $70,000 to $100,000
annually for every 1 percent increase in the recycling rate. ix Additionally,
as part of Mayor Brown’s plan, the City designated $472,106 for
education and other recycling activities, but only $16,500 has been spent.
Currently, the City has contracted with a marketing firm to develop a
Recycling Marketing and Outreach Strategy for the recycling program, but
details about this, including costs, have not yet surfaced.
Reduce.x
Waste Management. Buffalo has several companies that work with the
City and its residents to help reduce and manage solid waste as well as
separate our recyclables. On a regional scale (northeast region) the
impacts of waste reduction through single stream recycling and
repurposing is significant.
A 2009 study of waste management establishments across five northeast
statesxi showed a total of 11,378 establishment involved in recycling or the
use of recycled materials.
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New York alone had 3,948 establishments. Below is the breakdown of
establishments by category.
Establishments by Type
Of the New York establishments, there was a total of $10 billion dollars in
gross receipts by these agencies.
Gross Receipts by Type
Of that, waste management establishments in the New York region
indicted they employ 32,240 people and maintain a total annual payroll of
approximately $1.4 billion dollars.
Number of People Employed Per Type
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Annual Payroll by Type
Reuse.
Textile and Clothing Reuse Program.xii As part of the City’s recycling
plan, it has developed a collaboration called the Western New York
Coalition for Donated Goods (WNYCDG). It was developed in May 2014
in response to requests by not-for-profits to receive non-traditional
donation goods such as clothes and textiles. The City claims the coalition
is to educate the community on the environmental and economic benefits
of recycling and donating goods and provide easy access to donation
opportunities. It is comprised of Goodwill, Salvation Army, Buffalo City
Mission, AMVETS and Hearts for the Homeless. The effort was to
address the fact the average person throws away 70 pounds of clothes per
year or 9000 tons. Of that, 85% on average goes to a landfill and only
15% on average is donated or recycled.
Member Organization Participation and Impacts.xiii
Under this
partnership, Buffalo’s City Mission described some of the practical and
economic impacts of this program. Under this program, member
organizations accept all kinds of goods that can be repurposed such as
clothes, rags, tools, cords, toasters, silverware, and furniture, just to name
a few. Gently used items are either resold or donated (in the case of the
City Mission, some items are given to people leaving the shelter to stock a
new apartment). Other items may be sent to other member organizations
or sold to salvage companies which recycle the materials or provide
clothing for third-world countries. Member organizations are paid by
salvage companies per pound and utilize monies to fund the various
member programs.
Buffalo ReUse Organization.xiv The Buffalo ReUse program was
developed as a way to save architectural gems of household building items
that would have otherwise been sent to a landfill. As part of the
organization, Buffalo ReUse is an organization committed to serving the
community through collaboration, education and training, while
promoting re-use, reclamation and recycling. The organization currently
maintains a store front centered on these commitments. On its website, it
suggests the following by using its store:
Repurpose items into things they were not originally intended to
be. Take an old window sash and use it as a picture frame or use
several window sashes and make a mini green house.
Reuse items for the same purpose they were originally intended to
be. The pedestal sink that was removed from the Victorian style
home will look great in your redesigned bathroom.
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Recycle things that are no longer usable in any form. Take your
old computer tower and monitor to an e-cycle drop off center so
the parts can be dismantled and recycled.
Recycle.
Green Cart Recycling Initiative.xv Under the City of Buffalo’s current
plan, it has provided green recycling bins as part of its single stream
weekly recycling program. As part of this program The City contracts
with a private contractor to collect all recyclables placed in green City
totes. The City pays the contractor and undisclosed amount, but states that
on average, the disposal rate of recycles is around $50 per ton. The City is
rebated $5-$10 per ton. This results in an economic loss to the City. The
Mayor proposes to increase our rate of recycling to 34% by 2016, but this
would still result in an economic loss to the city as the cost of disposal and
payments to private contractors are not being supplemented by solid waste
fees collected by the City.
Municipal Zero-Waste Plan & Recommendations
Several Cities across the U.S. have created Municipal Zero Waste Plans
that have resulted in significant economic savings. Buffalo could greatly
benefit from cities like San Francisco, Austin, and Los Angeles, who have
all created zero-waste plans that supplement traditional recycling
programs and replace the need to increase solid waste fees. xvi Some
examples of programs that could have an economic impact on Buffalo
include:



The creation of a plastics bag reduction ordinance similar to cities
such as Washington, D.C. The ordinance would require businesses
in the City to charge for the use of plastic bags, while providing
discounts to customers that bring or use reusable bags and recycle
old plastic bags. This also has significant impact on the
environment as less plastic bags would end up in our waterways
and on our streets while encouraging the use of paper bags that are
biodegradable or reusable bags.
Ban the sale of plastic water bottles on city property and encourage
more recycling of materials at City special events.
Utilize construction and demolition debris recovery programs that
recycle wastes from city and residential projects rather than send
wastes to landfills. This could also be encouraged by various
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organizations in the City skilled in demolitions that salvage home
parts rather than combine them into solid wastes.
i
The World Bank Group. Urban Development - What a Waste: A Global Review of
Solid Waste Management, (2013), accessed at: http://go.worldbank.org/BCQEP0TMO0. See
also, The Economist Online, Daily Chart – Rubbish Map, 7 June 2012, accessed at:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/06/daily-chart3?zid=313&ah=fe2aac0b11adef572d67aed9273b6e55.
ii
Northeast Recycling Council, Inc., Recycling Economic Information Study Update,
(2009), accessed at: http://www.containerrecycling.org/assets/pdfs/jobs/ReyclingEconomicInformation.pdf
iii
City of Buffalo, New York, Mayor Brown Unveils ‘Buffalo Green Cart Recycling’ an
Expanded Recycling Initiative Designed to Increase Curbside Collection, Raise Revenue,
and Stabilize Residential Garbage Fee, (2011), http://www.citybuffalo.com/Home/Leadership/Mayor/Archive_Press_Releases/2011Archives/December
2011/GreenCart.
iv
Email Communication with Susan Attridge, Recycling Coordinator, City of Buffalo,
New York, 20 Nov. 2014.
v
City of Buffalo, New York, Local Laws For Refuse And Recycling Collection (2011),
https://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/City_Departments/Public_Works_Parks_Streets/Stre
et_Sanitation/LocalLawsForRefuseAndRecyclingCollection.
vi
Dan Tevlock, Buffalo’s Recycling Program Still Struggles, Investigative Post, May 27,
2014, http://www.investigativepost.org/2014/05/27/buffalos-recycling-program-stillstruggles/.
vii
Dan Tevlock, Buffalo’s Recycling Program Still Struggles, Investigative Post, May 27,
2014, http://www.investigativepost.org/2014/05/27/buffalos-recycling-program-stillstruggles/.
viii
Email Communication with Susan Attridge, Recycling Coordinator, City of Buffalo,
New York, 20 Nov. 2014.
ix
Dan Tevlock, Buffalo’s Recycling Program Still Struggles, Investigative Post, May 27,
2014, http://www.investigativepost.org/2014/05/27/buffalos-recycling-program-stillstruggles/.
x
Northeast Recycling Council, Inc., Recycling Economic Information Study Update,
(2009), accessed at: http://www.containerrecycling.org/assets/pdfs/jobs/ReyclingEconomicInformation.pdf
xi
States included Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania.
xii
City of Buffalo, New York, Reuse-City of Buffalo (2011),
https://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/City_Departments/Public_Works_Parks_Streets/Stre
et_Sanitation/Reuse.
xiii
Interview with Robbin Josey, Manager-Logistics, Buffalo City Mission, 20 November
2014.
xiv
Buffalo ReUse, Inc, Home (2014), http://www.buffaloreuse.org/.
xv
Email Communication with Susan Attridge, Recycling Coordinator, City of Buffalo,
New York, 20 Nov. 2014
xvi
For additional information on Municipal Zero Waste Plans, see:
City of Austin, Texas, Zero Waste Strategic Plan (2008), accessed at
http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Trash_and_Recycling/Zero_Waste_Plan__full_version_-_Council_Adopted_w-resolution.pdf; see also, San Francisco Department
of the Environment, Policy for Zero Waste: Environmental policy and legislation in San
Francisco (2014), http://www.sfenvironment.org/zero-waste/policy.
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